Apparatus for handling printers&#39; cylinders or tubes.



No. 637,580. Patented Nov. 2|, I899.- 1 E. HETT.

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING PRINTERS CYLINDEBS'OB TUBES (Application filed Feb. 11, 1896. Renewed July 12, 1898.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet I,

WITNESSES: INVENTOR ZMM %ME BY 3 I a, ATTORNEYS n4: NORRIS PETERS 60,. Pno'mumu. wnsmug'rou, o. c.

No. 637,580. Patented Nov. 2I, I899. E. HETT.

APPARATUS FOR'HANDLING PRINTERS CYLINDERS 0R TUBES.

(Application filed Feb. 11, 1896 Renew ed July 12, 1698.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

INVENTOR BY mm m WITNESSES:

0 ATTOR EY9 mz "cams PETERS co, mm'o-umo WASHINGTON. a. c.

A Patented Nov; 2|, 1899.

E. HETT.

' APPARATUS FOR HANDLING PRINTERS CYLINDERS 0R TUBES.

(Application filed Feb. 11, 1896. Renewed July 12, 189B.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(lo Model.)

INVENTOR 56M flat:

I .BY mm if mos ,EYS

WITNESSES No. 637,580. Patented Nov. 2|, I899.

E. HETT. APPARATUS FOR HANDLING PRINTERS CYLINDERS 0R TUBES.

(Application filed Feb. 11, 1896. Renewed July 12, 1898.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

INVENTOR WITNESSES Tm: NORRII mills co, mfo-uma, wasnmoron. n. c.

UNITED STATES PATE T OFFICE.

EDWARD HE'1T,-OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING PRINTERS CYLINDERS OR TUBES.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 637,580, dated November 21, 1899.

' Application filed February 11, 1896. Renewed July 12,1898. serial No. 685,766- (No model-l To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, EDWARD HET'I, a citizen ofthe United States, and a resident of New York, (New Dorp, Staten Island,) county of Richmond, State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Handling Printing Cylinders and.

Tubes, of which the following is a specification. I

The invention has reference to printing and transfer presses having printing-cylinders or printingsurfaces. In its preferred form it has especial reference to presses in which the printing surface or form or the support therefor is a hollow cylinder or tubular covering or shell which for use is slipped onto the permanent shaft of the machine and is fixed to the same, revolving in use with said permanent shaft, and has special reference to presses in which there is a plurality of such print-.

ing-surfaces'as, for example, in multicolorpresses.

The invention is in the nature of an adjunct or adjuncts to such presses, and has for its.

object the ready and convenient handling of such printing cylinders or surfaces or such tubular printing or lithographic surfaces or such tubular form-cylinders and the introduction of the same into and the removal of the same from operative position in the press.

The invention is in the nature of' an improvement upon the invention set out and. claimed in a pending application of mine, filed June 13 1895, Serial No. 552,641, and renewed July 12, 1898, Serial No. 685,764; and it consists of the devices herein shown and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, Figure 1 is a side view of an apparatus embodying allof the features of my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the same, certain parts being removed. Fig. 3 is an enlarged planview of a part of the same. Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4:. Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic side view of a modified form of apparatus embodying some of the features of my invention. Fig. 7 is a plan view of a detail of Fig. 2.

In the preferred embodiment of myinvention shown in the drawings hereinI have shown the printing surface or form or the support therefor as a hollow cylinder or tubular of such hollow printing surfaces or forms or supports, but may be employed with other printing-surfaces such, for example, as solid printing-cylinders. Again, my invention is shown, in the embodiment of it set forth in the drawings, in connection with a multicolorpress, although it is evident that it can be employed in any press in which printing-surfaces are to be inserted, removed, or replaced.

Referrin g to the specific forms of apparatus shown in the drawings, A indicates the frame of a multicolor-press capable of simultaneously'printing fifteen different colors-such, for instance, as is shown in my application, Serial No. 518,015, filed July 19, 1894, and renewed May 27, 1899, Serial No. 718,570. B B indicate the several printing tubes or surfaces in position in the press. Each printing-tube has in the usual way its-group of inking and dampening devices, which are indicated in one instance in the drawings namely, at O-and which in any proper manner may be swung out of the way of the printing-tube, enabling the same to be moved outward radially from its mountings in the press. D represents a shaft carrying a formcylinder and printing-tube. In practice the printing-tube is a thin hollow external shell carried by the form-cylinder, and the formcylinder is a more substantial but hollow shell carried by the shaft D, the printingtube being removable from the'form-cylinder and the form-cylinder being removable from the shaft. E E are two hoisting-arms, which are raised and lowered by two screw-shafts F F, whichare simultaneously driven by the shaft G, which latter is driven through the clutch H by the electric motor I. These parts are solidly framed together, and the frame or carriage J is carried by means of four axles and eight wheels (or equivalent grasping and rolling or sliding devices) on the circular rails K K. One set, L, of these wheels preferably have gear-teeth (which in such case take into gearteeth on the rails K K) and are driven through their common shaft M and the clutch H by the motor I. The eight wheels of the frame j in their lowered tre or' carriage are flange d and snugly fit the,

flanges of the rails K K, as shown in Fig 5.

- This frame J through the wheels described so snugly and firmly grips the rails K K that it presents the hoisting-arms E E radially to-' ward the press in whatever position the frame J may chance to be on the rails'K K, whereby the raising and lowering of the hoisting-arms E is a radial motion from and toward the (sen-i ter of the axis of the press in all positions of theframe and irrespective of the weight carriedby those hoisting-arms. The clutch His a loose sleeveon theshaft M, having a clutch that'is keyed onto the shaft M, and is at the other end adapted to clutch a, loose sleeve;

- carryinga gear-wheel meshing-with a gear:

wheel on the'shaftG. The clutch H is con? structed so that it cannot simultaneously clutch at both endsthat is to say, so that it. cannot simultaneously drive the shaft Mandthe shaft G., The clutch H carriesv a gearwheel, by which it is driven said gear-wheel.

tothatend meshing with a gear-wheel on the shaft of the motor I. The clutch H is shifted by the handle N. Shifting it inone direction will transfer the motion of the electric motor to the shaft G and the screw-threaded shafts F F and so raise or lower the'hoisting-arnis-E E, depending upon the direction of rotation of the motor, which can. be controlled in any suitable way. Shifting theclutch H in the hoisting apparatus: that it carries, to travel by a trolley-wheel 1 running upon-i av conin g'si-milarly orsuit-ablyprovided for; .These 3 electrical connections may be of any ordinary;

around on the rails K K. The directionof this: motion may be controlled through the motor'I. Fig. 5 illustrates a convenient means .of conveying current to the motor'I;na-mely;'

duct-or I ;v the trolley-Wheel being suitably connected to the motor and the conductor to. the; source of current, the return-circuit be:-

construction and are not shown in the draw ings; The rails K K are firmly mounted, in any'suitable way, as by brackets connecting them with, the frame of the machine. below and-with the ceiling above. The hoisting-arms E E are-jointed at their lower ends andare thereconstructed substantially as described.

.in my said former application, Serial No.

552,641,- filed June'13, 1895, andrenewed July I 12, 1898, Serial No. 685,7 64, and are adapted togiraspythe shaft D and, when it is properly loosened from. its mountings in the press, to raiseitradiallyoutward withall the parts that it carries. Those details'need: not here be. further. enlarged upon other than to-say that, as shown-in the drawings, there is a pin, to'lockthe lower hinged portion of those armsv position and that atthetexs of the a "ms t-hereare-a fork lower end fandpimFig. 1 adapted to take around the shaft and to be locked thereon andunlocked and removedtherefrom as required.

' i By. the-,above-described means'any' printing-cylinder or hollow printing tube or support therefor, can'be placed in proper position to be grasped by the hoisting-arms of the carriage, and be raised andbe carried by the carriage and beinserted inits operative position in the pressor can beremoved therefrom and be carried by the carriage to any desired position, whence it, can be removed in any suita double clutch, as shown'that is to say,-it is able manner or by any suitable means. In

5 practice I prefer to remove thehollow printconstruction at each end. This sleeve or clutch is, at one end adapted to clutch a collar ing'tubes or. forms or supports-therefor. from the hoisting-arms of the carriage or to place them therein by mechanism which I will-now proceed to describe. V

O is. the standard of a revoluble printingtube; holder. This standard is mounted on a basePin a slideway in thesame, and means are provided-,as shown, for moving the standand in the slideway of the base toward and i from the press, the standardbeing mounted,

asshown, at the side of the press. The electric motor Qfurnishesthe power for moving the standard Oi-n the base P. r l R isa revolublecircular frame carried by the standardO, upon which it revolves, andcarrying-a series of recei'vin g-shaf ts S, of which onlzytwoare shown in Fig.2. The'motor Q through proper connecting mechanism re volvestheframe R upon the standardO-and' with itthe receiving-shafts S," as, desired.

Each receiving-shaft Sihas at its end which is" presented towardthe printingp'ress suitable clutching mechanism adapted to be firmly clutched to one of the permanent shafts l). ofthe-pressatone end of the same when said permanent shaft D is in its raised or outwardly-moved position, so that 'at such, time thetwo shafts D and S are united-end'to end andiformv one straight' shaft.\ In the draw- .ings the receiving shafts s are represented as carrying removable printing-tube holders X, the latter beingsuch as are described in thepending application,- Serial No. 552,641,

heretofore referred to. The revolubleprint in'g-ltubeholder has, preferably, one more receiving-shaft than there are permanent shafts D in the printing-press; The'double clutchT, (similar in construction to the clutch H heretofore described,) operated by handle U, determines whether the power of motor Q shall be tran smitted through the chain of bev eled gear-wheels'to the revolublieholder R to relvolve-the same, or throughthe gear-wheels andtraveling screw 'thr'eaded. hub V, travel-' ing on.- thescrew-shaft W, to'the standardO, in which the hub V is mounted, to reciprocate said standardtoward or from the press.

ln'the; operation of the preferred form. of

my improved devices shown in the -drawings the new-printi ng-tubes that it is desi-red to lmount upon the printingpress are first {mounted upon the severalreceiving-shafts S 1ofthe revoluble printing-tube holder.

latter is then moved into proper position toward the press, at the side of the press, the hoisting apparatus is brought into proper position on the rails and hoists the permanent shafts D of the press in succession outwardly in radial lines to proper position to clutch with the proper receiving-shafts S, when the printing-tubes may he slipped from the latter onto the former and the shafts D lowered into place in the press. It will be understood that upon clutching a shaft S to a shaft D one of the raising-arms E, which is nearest to the shaft S, is unlocked from the shaft D and its lower part swung up out of the way, without which the printing-tube could not be slipped on or off. In an entirely similar way printing-tubes are removed from the various form-cylinders of the press and slipped off onto the receiving-shafts S. Fig. 2 represents the revoluble holder as in place and the parts as ready to raise the shaft D (with the printing-tube B upon it) outward radially to the point where it will lie in the same line axially as the receiving-shaft S, the latter being adapted to be then clutched to D and so as to practically continue D. When it is desired that only the printing-tubes should be moved, the permanent shafts D retain the form-cylinders upon them and the receiving-shafts S carry printing-tube holders X; but when it is desired, for instance, to remove a form-cylinder from the shaft D then in that case the receiving-shaft S does nothaveaprinting-tube holderX. Thestandard O orthe parts on which it is mounted and carried may be mounted on a proper turn-table, if desired, permitting the entire revoluble printing-tube holder, with its series of receiving-shafts S, to be turned angularly away from the printing-press. In such case proper locking mechanism should be provided to lock the parts in proper position when operatively presented to the printingpress.

It is evident that many changes might be made in the form and proportion of the parts without departing from my invention. For instance, Fig. 6 shows, diagrammatically, a modified form of apparatus in which the features of my invention which are found in the hoisting and carrying parts are combined with the standard Y, head Z, and receivingshaft Z of my applications Serial Nos. 552,644 and 685,764. The hoisting apparatus in this case first hoists the shaft carrying the printing-tube, then'carries it around to the receiving -sl1aft Z, (where the printing -tube is transferred from one to the other,) and then returns the shaft to its place in the press.

It is of course evident that the revoluble printing-tube holder is adapted for use only with hollow printing tubes or forms or supports and cannot be used, for example, with solid printing -cylinders. When the latter are used, any other suitable means may be employed for bringing the printing-cylinders I to or removing them from the hoisting-arms of the carriage, or they may be brought or removed by hand.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is p 1. In combination with suitable hoistingarms and means for operating the same, a suitable frame or carriage and a set of circular rails and means for moving and positively holding at any point the carriage on the rails, substantially as set forth. I

2. In combination with suitable hoistingarms and means for operating the same, a frame or carriage having grasping and rolling or sliding devices, one set of which are gearwheels L, and a set of rack-rails, the racks of which mesh with the gear-wheels of the car riage, and means for rotating the said gearwheels, substantially as described.

3. In combination with suitable hoistingarrns and means for operating the same, a frame or carriage having grasping and rolling or sliding devices, one set of which are gearwheels L, and a set of circular rack-rails, the racks of which mesh with the gear-wheels of the carriage, and means for rotating the said gear-wheels, substantially as described.

4:. The combination, substantially as described, of suitable hoisting-arms, a frame or carriage carrying the same having grasping and rolling or sliding devices, one set of which are gear-wheels, a set of rack-rails the racks of which mesh with the gear-wheels of the carriage, and a motor I and clutch H, and connecting parts, whereby the hoisting-arms and the gear-wheels are driven but dissimultaneously.

5. The combination, with a printing-press having a series circularly arranged of hollow printing forms or surfaces carried on permanent shafts, of suitable hoisting-arms and means for operating the same,a suitable frame or carriage for the hoisting-arms, a set of circular rails concentric with the press for the carriage to move on, and means for moving the carriage on the rails, substantially as described.

6. The combination,with amulticolor-printing press having a series circularly arranged of hollow printing forms or surfaces carried on permanent shafts, and with suitable hoistingarms and means foroperating the same, asuitable frame or carriage for the hoisting-arms, a set of circular rails concentric with the press for the carriage to move on, and means for moving the carriage on the rails, of a revoluble printing-tube holder concentric with the rails and having a series of receiving-shafts each adapted to lock with and so as to continue a permanent shaft of the press when such shaft is grasped and moved outward radially by the hoisting-arms, and mechanism to revolve the said holder, substantially as described.

7. The combination with suitable hoistingarms and means for operating the same, a

suitable carriage and a, set of circular rails and means for moving the carriage on the f "tassel v rails,.of a revoluhle printing-tube holder con centric with the rails and having a series of receiving-shafts each adapted tolock-with as'describcd.

able horizontallyfin the base, and anseries of a receiving-shaftseach adapted to lock with and. so as tocontinue theperma-nent shaft-of a press, and mechanism to revolve the, same and mechanism to move the standard in thebase, substantially as described.

10. A revoluble printing-tube holder having a base and standard, the standard beingmovable horizontallyin the base, and a series of receiving-shafts each adapted to lock with and so as, to continue the permanent shaft of a press, and themotor Q and clu-tch Tand connected trains of'mechanism, whereby the holder-is revolved" and its standard is moved to and fro-horizontally in its base, but'thes'e operationsare dissimultaneous.

11 In combination with suitable hoisting-- armsand means for operating the same, a frame or carriage having grasping and roll-v ing or sliding devices, a set of circular rails and means for actuating the grasping and rolling or sliding devices for moving the cari riage and for positively holding? it at any point onthe rails, whereby printing-cylinders, tubes or supports therefor may be ref moved from operative position in the press and: be carried. to any desired'positionormay be carried from such position to and be inserted in, their'oper'ative positions in the press.

12. The combination in a press of suitable;

hoisting-arms, means for operating the arms,

afframe or carriage carrying the same having grasping and rolling orsliding devices, aseti Q means for operating the hoisting-arms, and

also the grasping and .rolling or sliding de-' vices to cause the carriage to move along the: rails, and a clutch adapted to connect the 1110- tor so as to operate either the hoisting-arms" or to move'the carriage or to wholly disconnect it, whereby the carriage may be moved 'and' thehoisting-arms be operated at will but dissimultaneously and whereby printing-cylinders, tubes or supports therefor may beremovedffrom operative position in the pressv and be carried to any desired position or maybe carried from such'position to and be inserted in, their operative positions in the press.-

13; The combination in a printing-pressfl of rinting cylinders, of suitable I hoistingarm's and'meansfor operating the same,a suitable frame or; carriage-for the hoisting-arms, a set of circular rails concentric with the'press for the carriage to move on and means for -movi ng the carriage on therails,whereby printing-cylinders, tubes or' supports therefor, may be removedv from operativepositi'on in the press and becarried to any desiredpo- ,sitio'n or maybecarried from such position to and-be inserted in, their operative positiohsin the press.

14. The combination in a printingpress adapted to have a series, circularly arranged,

of printing-cylinders, of suitable hoistingarms and means for operating t-hesame, a suit able frame or carriage for the hoisting-arms, a set of circular rails concentric with thepress for the carriage to move on and means for moving the carriageion the rails and for'posi-' tively'holding it at any point thereon, whereby'printing-cylinders, tubes or supportsth'ere= for, maybe removed from operative position in thepress and" be" carried to any desired position or maybe carried" from such position to and be inserted in, their operative positions in the press.

15. The combination in a printing-press adapted to have a series, circularly arranged, of printing-cylinders, of suitablehoistingarms,i meansfor operating the arms a suitable frame or carriage carrying the same-and having grasping or rolling or sliding devices,

a set ofrcircular rails concentric with the press for the carriage to move upon,' a motor for actuating the means for operating the hoisting-arms and alsothe grasping or rolling or sliding devices to causethe carriage tomove along the rails and a clutch adapted to connect the motor so as to operateeither th'e hoisting-arms or to move'thecarriag'eor tolwhol'ly disconnect the motor, whereby the carriage may be moved and the hoistingearms be-operated at will but idissimultaneously"and wherebyany of the printing-cylinders tubes .or supports therefor may be removed from operative position in the press and" be carried IIO to any desired positionor may be carried from such position to and'be inserted in, their-opv .era'tiv'e positions in the press. of circular rails, a motor for actuating. the

a set of circular rails concentric with the press for the carriage to, move upon, a motor for actuating the means for operating thehoisting-arms and also the grasping or rolling or sliding-devices to causethe carriage to move along the rails and to be positively held at any desired position upon the rails, and a clutchadapted to connect the motor so as to operateieither the hoisting-armsor to move the carriage .or to wholly disconnect the-motor, whereby the carriage may be moved, and

the hoisting-arms befoperatedat' will' but dissimultaneously and whereby any of the printin gcylinders, tubes or supports therefor may be removed from operative position in the press and be carried to any desired position or may be carried from such position to and be inserted in, their operative positions in the press.

17. The combination in a printing-press adapted to have a series, circularly arranged, of printing-cylinders, of suitable hoistingarms, means for operating the arms, a suitable frame or carriage carrying the same and having graspingand rolling or sliding devices, a set of circular rails concentric with the press for the carriage to move upon, a motor mounted upon the carriage for actuating the means for operating the hoisting-arms and also the grasping and rolling or sliding devices to cause the carriage to move along the rails and to be positively held at any desired position upon the rails, trains of gearing connecting the motor with the means for operating the hoistposition or may be carried from such position to and be inserted in, their operative positions in the press.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD HETT.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. MILLS, J12, EDWARD SEGER. 

